Race for the ARAS 2025

[Hand of God]

I always find it odd that the ones who are so vocal on Ukraine seem to be complete and utterly silent on Western imperialism.

As far as I can see Connolly has been vocal in her disapproval of Putin but she has taken a nuanced stance that Western imperialism and NATO expansion has unquestionably played a role in Russia's invasion. This is a view shared by the likes of Noam Chomsky and John Mearsheimer who are two extremely well respected historians and political commentators who were warning of the inveitability of this for decades if the West kept interfering in Ukranian politics and kept expanding NATO's borders.

It's full on Western propaganda, the same propaganda that seems to have overtaken every government in the Western world in relation to Israel. Keir Starmer wants a violent group of Islamophobic fascist hooligans to be given protection to march all over Birmingham this week. Micheal Martin went out to Israel to don the terrorist uniform of the IDF and take part in propaganda photoshoots and shake the hand of Netanyahu at a time the Israeli regime were bombing hospitals. He invited the Israeli ambassador, a truly disgusting bigoted racist and defender of genocide as a special to his parties Ard Fheis months laters as the genocide continued unabated. Fianna Fail and Fine Gael elected reps continue to be part of a Friends of Israel lobby and the MSM does not have an issue with any of the above but they will try and spread a smear campaign against Catherine Connolly because she opposes the Western Genocide machine.

If you look at the reality of it, the world is going far and far more right wing. Keir Starmer has brought the Labour Party increasingly right wing in the UK, Martin has pretty much turned FF into a more right wing version of FG in the south.

The only difference between the far right and FFG right now is just on issues such as trans rights, same sex marriages and abortion. Issues that really are not important to 90% of the people. The far right were never bothered with housing, health, cost of living, crime or any of these matters - its only migration that matters to them and anyone who believes that FFG are allowing massive amounts of refugees in on a human level is completely deluded. The only reason the FFG government is allowing the level of immigration in is because it is lucrative to a large amount of multi millionaires and billionaires.

The far right only stands to rise up in countries where governments have failed society. We are fed wall to wall propaganda in the media every day of our day of our lives - Russia, China and Iran are the bogeyman and the hope is that will give the West the cover to commit the heinous acts of warfare and imperialism it does, routinely.

Our great western world now have the second in command of ISIS in charge of Syria who is engaging in ethnic cleansing and they have no moral quibble with that at all.

[Look-Up!]

3....2.....1

[Wildweasel74]

If Nato wasn't there, he be beating back to Berlin. Problem is all this appeasement like Hilter, they cant read their man. Putin out for all out expansion. If the Ukraine was heavily backed at the start, we wouldn't be in the dire situation we in now. Ask any Polish what they think of the Russians. They know the score.

[Genocide Organ]

I think that's rubbish. Russia may be expansionist, but it doesn't mean it wants to take Berlin. Or even Poland. Get a grip.

[Armagh18]

The mudslinging from FFG is unreal.

How long will it be until the family of poor Paul Quinn are wheeled out to try and tie Connolly to that.

[Pub Bore]

The mudslinging from FFG is unreal.

How long will it be until the family of poor Paul Quinn are wheeled out to try and tie Connolly to that.

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2025/1020/1539434-paul-quinn-appeal/

[Hand of God]

If Nato wasn't there, he be beating back to Berlin. Problem is all this appeasement like Hilter, they cant read their man. Putin out for all out expansion. If the Urkaine was heavily backed at the start, we wouldn't be in the dire situation we in now. Ask any Polish what they think of the Russians. They know the score.

What has NATO actually done?

Do you remember when we nearly had World War 3 because Russia were setting military bases near the US borders? Why is it ok for the West (the biggest collective group of imperliasts, war mongerers and terrorists) to have defensive bases close to their enemies territories but not vice versa.

You can ask the Poles what they think of the Russians. Maybe ask the Arabs, Africans, Asians, Latin and Central Americans what they think of the West? Maybe they know the score. The US, UK and EU have personally bankrolled and enabled a genocide 50x the scale of what is happening in Ukraine take place in Gaza.

It's not a binary choice between being pro-western and pro-Russia, both are evil regimes when some really nasty people at the helm - Trump, Putin, Starmer, Von Der Leyen, Shulz, Macron. The legacy on the West is far, far worse. Maybe ask the Irish what they think of the Brits? We know the score although our far right mob are very much pro Britain and pro America.

[PadraicHenryPearse]

If Nato wasn't there, he be beating back to Berlin. Problem is all this appeasement like Hilter, they cant read their man. Putin out for all out expansion. If the Urkaine was heavily backed at the start, we wouldn't be in the dire situation we in now. Ask any Polish what they think of the Russians. They know the score.

What has NATO actually done?

Do you remember when we nearly had World War 3 because Russia were setting military bases near the US borders? Why is it ok for the West (the biggest collective group of imperliasts, war mongerers and terrorists) to have defensive bases close to their enemies territories but not vice versa.

You can ask the Poles what they think of the Russians. Maybe ask the Arabs, Africans, Asians, Latin and Central Americans what they think of the West? Maybe they know the score. The US, UK and EU have personally bankrolled and enabled a genocide 50x the scale of what is happening in Ukraine take place in Gaza.

It's not a binary choice between being pro-western and pro-Russia, both are evil regimes when some really nasty people at the helm - Trump, Putin, Starmer, Von Der Leyen, Shulz, Macron. The legacy on the West is far, far worse. Maybe ask the Irish what they think of the Brits? We know the score although our far right mob are very much pro Britain and pro America.

there is another thread for this argument to be had... Banks and dog will set you straight over there.

[brokencrossbar1]

The mudslinging from FFG is unreal.

How long will it be until the family of poor Paul Quinn are wheeled out to try and tie Connolly to that.

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2025/1020/1539434-paul-quinn-appeal/

First part of that,  Humphrey's will roll in behind this no doubt with a photo shoot with Breege and a strongly worded Maria Cahill article will do the rounds. Inevitable

[Armagh18]

If Nato wasn't there, he be beating back to Berlin. Problem is all this appeasement like Hilter, they cant read their man. Putin out for all out expansion. If the Urkaine was heavily backed at the start, we wouldn't be in the dire situation we in now. Ask any Polish what they think of the Russians. They know the score.

What has NATO actually done?

Do you remember when we nearly had World War 3 because Russia were setting military bases near the US borders? Why is it ok for the West (the biggest collective group of imperliasts, war mongerers and terrorists) to have defensive bases close to their enemies territories but not vice versa.

You can ask the Poles what they think of the Russians. Maybe ask the Arabs, Africans, Asians, Latin and Central Americans what they think of the West? Maybe they know the score. The US, UK and EU have personally bankrolled and enabled a genocide 50x the scale of what is happening in Ukraine take place in Gaza.

It's not a binary choice between being pro-western and pro-Russia, both are evil regimes when some really nasty people at the helm - Trump, Putin, Starmer, Von Der Leyen, Shulz, Macron. The legacy on the West is far, far worse. Maybe ask the Irish what they think of the Brits? We know the score although our far right mob are very much pro Britain and pro America.

there is another thread for this argument to be had... Banks and dog will set you straight over there.

.

[Tubberman]

The mudslinging from FFG is unreal.

How long will it be until the family of poor Paul Quinn are wheeled out to try and tie Connolly to that.

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2025/1020/1539434-paul-quinn-appeal/

First part of that,  Humphrey's will roll in behind this no doubt with a photo shoot with Breege and a strongly worded Maria Cahill article will do the rounds. Inevitable

You're the guys bringing "poor Paul Quinn" into a thread on the presidential election, so maybe have a look in the mirror.

[weareros]

Connolly will win easily and Irish people in general don't like negative politics and its desperation stakes by Fine Gael. But if Connolly took money from a UK bank to evict people that is fair game. Equating that to everyone is entitled to legal representation through the Cab Rank rule is the greatest load of guff. Since when did banks ever struggle for legal representation. Banks have the deep pockets to only employ the best legal representation money can buy. They are not knocking on the door of some rural Irish solicitor and saying any chance you'd take this case and help a poor British bank out, and help us get those wastrels out who are not paying their mortgage.

[brokencrossbar1]

The mudslinging from FFG is unreal.

How long will it be until the family of poor Paul Quinn are wheeled out to try and tie Connolly to that.

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2025/1020/1539434-paul-quinn-appeal/

First part of that,  Humphrey's will roll in behind this no doubt with a photo shoot with Breege and a strongly worded Maria Cahill article will do the rounds. Inevitable

You're the guys bringing "poor Paul Quinn" into a thread on the presidential election, so maybe have a look in the mirror.

The story is rolled out every election to take a shot at SF so it's not a huge leap to think it won't happen this week given that it is the anniversary of his death. This is not about the Quinn family,  it's about the way they have repeatedly been used by the establishment to its own needs.

[Pub Bore]

Connolly will win easily and Irish people in general don't like negative politics and its desperation stakes by Fine Gael. But if Connolly took money from a UK bank to evict people that is fair game. Equating that to everyone is entitled to legal representation through the Cab Rank rule is the greatest load of guff. Since when did banks ever struggle for legal representation. Banks have the deep pockets to only employ the best legal representation money can buy. They are not knocking on the door of some rural Irish solicitor and saying any chance you'd take this case and help a poor British bank out, and help us get those wastrels out who are not paying their mortgage.

I believe she was a barrister, not a solicitor.

[seafoid]

https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2025/10/18/pat-leahy-if-catherine-connolly-wins-it-may-be-the-start-of-the-greatest-political-change-in-our-history/

 If Connolly does go on to win, it will mean one of two things.

The first possibility is that voters are finally starting to look beyond Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil as their choice for the dominant, always-governing political force in the country – that they are considering seriously a left-led Government that would seek different solutions to domestic problems, a different economic model, a different presence in the EU, a different voice in the world. It would mean that perhaps the greatest political change in the country's history is in the offing. This is certainly the interpretation that Connolly's supporters will put on her victory, if that happens.

The second possibility is that voters, unimpressed with the options presented by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, are willing to put an outspoken left-wing voice in the Áras as a successor to an outspoken left-wing voice in the Áras. Where someone can talk a lot, but not necessarily do a lot. As my colleague Ellen Coyne suggested long before the campaign began, perhaps the same voters who have chosen centrist – or centre-right, depending on your perspective – governments like the balance provided by a left-wing presidency.

Whichever of these is correct, a Connolly victory – never mind one by the sort of margins the poll suggested was likely – would be an enormous fillip for the political left that assembled behind her, and a humbling defeat for Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil.

From start to finish – or at least from start to this point – the identification, selection and management of their candidates has been a catastrophe. It is hard to believe that the fallout in both parties will end with next week's count – especially when you consider the slump in support for Fianna Fáil and for Micheál Martin personally recorded in today's poll. Martin has been the most popular of the three main party leaders for the past year; now he is the least popular. Fianna Fáil's rating falls by five points to 17 per cent today, the lowest in more than four years. If those numbers continue for any length of time, he will have to watch himself.